Tri valve backflow preventer

ABSTRACT

The Tri Valve Backflow Preventer parts and materials consist of: steel nuts and bolts, ductile iron operating nut, O-rings made of nitrile rubber, rubber gaskets made of nitrile rubber, valve adjusting stem made of manganese bronze, valve wedge gates made of ductile iron encapsulated with EPDM rubber and valve body constructed of ductile iron. Materials and parts to be constructed in accordance with ASTM standards and meet the requirements of AWWAC-509 and AWWAC-504 which is in conformance for gate valves and butterfly valves.

The Tri Valve would be constructed of high strength Ductile Iron. Itwould consist of nuts, bolts, operating nut, steel resilient rubber,EPDM Elastomer coating on the sealing plastic mechanism of the closinggate valve which is operated with a valve key on the valve stem to allow0 leakage. The Tri Valve would consist of three gates to be opened andshut as needed for backflow preventing contamination to existing potabledrinking water pipelines.

The Tri Valve can be constructed by many Iron Works or ValveManufacturing Assembly Companies throughout the United States ofAmerica.

The specified ingredients and components would be that of what a normalregular valve would be constructed of with the exception that the valvewould be one main line valve with two side valves. The main valve is inthe middle allowing the side valves to by-pass the middle valve when themiddle valve is shut and the two side valves are open. The three valvesare constructed as one piece. The Tri Valve can be constructed invarious sizes as needed, per specification AWWAC509.

American Water Works Association gate valves would be 3″ to 20″ indiameter and meet or exceed the requirements of AWWAC509. Valves 24″ orlarger such as Butterfly valves shall meet or exceed the standards ofAWWAC504. All valve construction shall conform to ASTMstandards—American Society for Testing and Materials.

BACKGROUND OF TRI VALVE

The Tri Valve is intended to be installed onto an existing potable watermain by means of a tapping sleeve, a cut-in tee, an existing stub out,an existing valve or such as to begin excavation to install a new watermain for future use to residential or commercial developments potablewater.

As an example a contractor or utility company would excavate down to anexisting 12″ water main with an existing 12″ stub out tee or valve orinstall a 12″ tapping saddle to core into existing 12″ potable waterline. Then you would install the 12″ Tri Valve by whatever means thereare to tie into in accordance with Federal, State and/or Local standardsor specifications.

When tie in is completed, the Tri Valve 12″ gate would be shut off,12″×6″ Tri Valve. A Backflow Assembly with 2 check valves would beconnected to the 2-6″ valves on the side of the 12″×6″ Tri Valve. TheBackflow Assembly is in use throughout the country for preventingcontamination coming back into the potable water main pipes fromirrigation, fire sprinkler or areas where water could backflow intoexisting water mains causing bacteria to contaminate potable water beingused by the general public.

The Backflow Assembly installed to the Tri Valve would be justtemporary. When all the new piping for water use is installed in a newdevelopment, the water main pipe gets pressure tested and bacteriatested to government set standards. After passing all requirements theBackflow Assembly would then be removed after the 2-6″ side valves areshut off and plugged. Then the 12″ valve on the Tri Valve can be openedand the water main can safely be used. During the construction of thenew water main, the existing water main would have been protected fromany source of contamination backflow.

The Backflow Assembly can be re-used at the next phase of the site or atanother installation of a water main using the Tri Valve BackflowPreventer, using many types of pipe fittings such as bends or reducers.

The Backflow Assembly is installed to the Tri Valve above ground with 2check valves and is temporarily used to fill new water mains for testingand on site use purposes.

To by-pass the main line valve, the Backflow Preventer is installed tothe 2 side valves by means of 90° bends and pipe and fittings to theabove ground assembly it can then be reused.

The Tri Valve can be used and manufactured in many sizes to meet thewater demand of the area and needs of the population.

SUMMARY

As a Manatee County Construction Inspection Officer, I go to work siteson a daily basis. What is being implemented in Manatee County to protectthe public drinking water during new water main construction is called ajumper system. The jumper system consists of installing a temporarybackflow prevention system to a new water main valve leaving about an 8′separation and connecting it to the new water main pipe for on sitewater use. The temporary backflow preventer system is removed after allon site pipe installation is completed and passes all testingrequirements. The problem with this is that the contractors excavateback down to the whole area of the existing valve and the new water mainpipe and then remove the jumper system which causes all the water in thepipe to drain into the working hole. This causes hundreds of gallons ofgood clean drinking water to be wasted, leaving the valve and open pipeaccessible to bacteria in the new water main. It defeats the purpose ofchlorinating the inside of the pipes to be free of bacteria. Then aconnection has to be made by way of a restrained ductile iron sleeve toconnect the pipe to the valve to complete tie in and then the line hasto be flushed out to get all the air out. This takes extra inspectionhours, extra man hours, extra equipment hours, wasted large amounts ofgood water and no guarantee that the new water main is free of bacteria.

The Tri Valve eliminates these problems. The main valve would be openedafter the 2 side valves would be closed and plugged. The water mainwould be sealed off from bacteria intrusion at all times. The cost of 1valve versus a Tri Valve would be minimal compared to the amount ofdollars spent on man hours and equipment. The # 1 concern should be thesafety of the public drinking water.

The Tri Valve with the Backflow Preventer would insure no contaminationfrom the new installed water main on the construction site. There wouldbe two less joint sections in the pipe at the Tri Valve and the valvewould be completely pressure tested and bacteria free.

To sum this all up the Tri Valve would save money, much needed water forFlorida and other areas of the Country. Overall it is safe and practicaland something that can be used everywhere for new and upgraded watermains. The 2-6″ by-pass valves on the Tri Valve would also allow forfire protection on the construction site where fire hydrants areinstalled.

1. I claim that the Tri Valve is improved by adding 2 side valves to ithaving one on each side of the main valve or water main to allow waterto flow through the 2 side valves while the middle valve stays shutuntil all tests are done for water to be able to flow throught the mainvalve, the 2 side valves can be shut and the middle main valve opened toallow good potable water to flow to new sections of water main pipe,allowing no contamination to enter at any time by having a check valveBackflow Assembly on the 2 side valves while filling the new water mainfrom existing water main, the existing water main would be free from anybackflow contamination.